Basking in the Power, Glory, and Love of My Lord, Seen in His Creation

While serving as vacancy pastor at First Lutheran in Gainesville, FL, I attended the Fall Pastors’ Conference, September 23-25 in Daytona Beach. This conference came at a good time. When Kathy and I arrived in Gainesville from Alaska on September 10, I hit the ground running. September 22 was a long Sunday. It was good to get away to consider God in our lives and to consider God in His Church for the world. It was good to get away to see God’s presence in our midst.

Monday morning, because the conference was held in Daytona, Kathy walked along the beach at sunrise. She took beautiful pictures of the God’s handiwork. Personally, I was tired, and sort of watched from our hotel room. But Tuesday morning I arose earlier, made a cup of coffee, grabbed my Today’s Life Devotional Bible, and sat in a bench alongside the beach so I could give attention to the sun rising on the horizon of the Atlantic. God’s beauty spoke to my heart. The words of Psalm 19 came to mind.

“1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. 6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” (Psalm 19:1-6 - To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.) The grandeur and beauty of our created world witness to the power and wisdom, the order and love of the Loving Lord of the Universe.

I do believe my fellow Alaskans look at the world around them and know the truth of Psalm 19: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” I personally know that truth as I look out my front porch in Palmer at Pioneer Peak, or at Lazy Mountain. I know that truth concerning God’s witness through creation when on a river, or on the ocean, and the beauty of my Lord’s handiwork speaks to me. But, the beauty of creation is not only seen in Alaska. There is also beauty, grandeur, and witness in other locations on this globe as well. Kathy and I saw the glory and handiwork of God on the beach through the sunrise.

Paul shares our Heavenly Father’s message through creation in 1 Corinthians 1. “19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. . . ” (Romans 1:19-20)

But, we do not just see our Heavenly Father in Creation. We also see the Father’s Son. We see Jesus! Do you know 2 Peter 1:19? ”And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” Peter is talking about Jesus. Jesus is that “morning star” which “rises in our hearts!” Think about the sunrise we saw.

Or, do you know these words from Jesus Himself? 16 "’I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’ 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” (Revelation 22:16-17) Our Lord, Jesus, is not only THE Bright Morning Star – again, think sunrise. Jesus is coming again. Praise God!

Do you see God in His creation around you? Do the mountains and rivers and beaches and plains shout out to you? The beauty of my Lord’s creation speaks to me in the mountains and forests, the rivers and lakes, the valleys and meadows. So, when I go outdoors, when I go fishing, I’m not running away from my work or from my life. I am running TO my Lord!

On Monday and Tuesday morning the Lord spoke through His creation to Kathy and to me. Scripture explains our Lord’s message. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”